What's My Name Again?
by bubblewrappedhearts
Summary: I wrote this forever ago and thought y'all might want to read it. Dougie Poynter fanfic. It's completed, but I'll post the next chapter every few days. I suck at summaries, hopefully I don't suck so much at writing haha. c:
1. Into The Dark

Chapter 01; Into The Dark

My last memory was the glaring headlights of the trucks.

I felt like my head would explode, blood was roaring in my ears. I managed to open my eyes, immediately squinting. I was staring into some intense lights, like those of a truck. The car was in poor condition. The metal was crushed in and there was smoke and I had the impression of being upside down, as if I was hanging. I could hear voices around me, they were so loud. I tried to tell them to stop, but only a moan seemed to come from my lips.

Raising my hand to the back of my head, I could feel something warm and sticky. This worried me, pulling my hand back. I looked at my fingers, which had a reddish tint. Panicking, I struggled to free myself from the car, but immense pain kept me from trying too hard. The pain became unbearable in my head. _Maybe closing my eyes will help_. Listening to my own advice, my eyes shut…

An unknown hand took mine, waking me up. The owner of the hand spoke to me, calling me by nicknames that I didn't recognize. The voice was unknown to me also. My eyes were still closed, my way of keeping the insufferable pain at bay. My body was functioning on auto pilot, not answering any of my commands anymore.

The voice continued speaking to me, begging for me to wake up. I told my eyes to open, to see who was holding me. I told my hands to squeeze the hand they were holding, to reassure him. They didn't listen.

The voice was growing frantic, sobs evident in his voice. Again, I told my eyes to open, only to grow frustrated when they didn't open. _Who is speaking to me?_ I wanted to know. I managed to squeeze those fingers feebly, if only to give him hope. It flooded me with relief also, to know that at least one part of my body was listening to me.

His voice was almost ecstatic now, continuing to talk to me. He apologized to me repeatedly, for what I did not know. I wanted to ask, but I knew I could not answer him. Not knowing would have to be okay for now. Sirens blared, so very loud. They screeched and my ears began to hurt. A flood of other voices surrounded me.

The hand that was holding mine dropped away. It worried me. Where did he go? Who was he? Why did he let go? I didn't want him to leave me.

He spoke to me again, my nerves calming at the sound of his voice. He wasn't calm anymore and spoke a name that I did not know. A jolt of pain ran up my leg. I found my voice once more, screaming. Strong arms pulled me out of the wreckage. They carried me, pain flaring in every part of my body. I cried, trying not to whimper at every bump in their steps.

I was set down onto a hard, flat surface. A stretcher? That would make sense. The mysterious voice returned to me. His hand squeezed mine in reassurance. I tried to open my eyes, but they didn't listen. A prick in my arm made me wince, but not too long after I felt like I was laying on a cloud. I felt no pain and the ride lulled me into sleep.


	2. Second Chance

A small beeping noise was the first thing I heard. It began to irritate me, I could be sleeping if it weren't for that noise annoying me. Opening my eyes, I was determined to find the source of the noise and make it stop. Looking around me, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. All of the walls were painted a creamy white, saving for the wall to my left. It was a large window, looking out onto a busy highway.

_What a view_, I sarcastically thought. There was an IV in my left arm, an oxygen tube in my nose and heart monitors on my chest. The bed I was laying in was quite uncomfortable, my pillows lumpy. It was safe to say that I was in a hospital room, if I could say so myself. I saw what could only be my medical record sitting at the foot of my bed. Squinting my eyes, I attempted to read it. Unfamiliar names jumped out at me, daunting medical terms seemed elementary next to them.

"Jenna? Who is this Jenna?" I murmured, shifting my position a bit. A dull pain in my hip alerted me. I absently rubbed the sore area, still reading. A doctor, looking proper in a starched white lab coat, entered the room. Sitting up straight, I smiled at him.

"Are you doing well, Miss Turner?" he asked. I thought for a moment. _Turner? That's that Jenna girl's last name. He must have the wrong room. My name is… Um… What is my name?_ I gulped nervously. "Miss Turner? Are you alright?" the doctor noticed my uneasiness. Smiling again, I laughed nervously.

"Uh. I'm doing great. I've been checking out the great view." The doctor chuckled, stepping closer to record some things off the machines. He wrote down a few numbers, taking my temperature.

"Well, your vitals are stable. I'm going to be back in one second. You have a visitor." he grinned at me. "One that I'm pretty sure you'll be quite happy to see."

"Oh. Okay." I had no idea who he was speaking of. He left the room, leaving me to my thoughts. I felt uneasy that I couldn't remember my name. Could my name be Jenna? It felt familiar, but not like my name. I didn't think I had amnesia, I recognized everything else. What was wr-?

"Your visitor is here, Miss Turner." the doctor knocked on the open door, breaking me from my thoughts. I looked up from my hands, smiling and nodding at him. The doctor walked into the room, stopping at the foot of my bed. He picked up …my medical records and flipped through them. A young man entered after him. He had a cast on his arm and dark circles under his eyes. I didn't recognize him, but he seemed to know me.

"Miss Turner, can you tell me your name?" the doctor asked gently. I took a small breath. I knew that I was Jenna, no matter how wrong it felt.

"Je… Jenna." I murmured. I was secretly thankful for reading my chart now.

"Good, good. Now, can you tell me how old you are?" This question was easy, for some odd reason. I knew how old I was. I was twenty one, it stuck out like a neon sign in my mind.

"I'm twenty one years old." I replied a little quicker, with more confidence in my tone. The doctor nodded, writing things down. The young man was still watching me, I tried not looking at him.

"Good. Can you tell me what happened? Why are you here?" his voice was like honey. I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. My mind stopped. I frowned, not knowing the answer.

"Uh… I have no idea." I whispered in a small voice. The doctor bit his lip, writing down more things. "Can I go home?" I felt like a small child. This was so frustrating. I fought back tears. Why couldn't I remember what happened?

"You're fine, Miss Turner." he replied soothingly. He patted my foot, in a bad effort to calm me down. "You were in an accident. You received a concussion, so a bit of memory loss is okay. You were in a small coma, your memory will come back quickly. Do you recognize the young man here?" he gestured to the young man standing by the wall. He perked up, his stare on me. I bit my lip again, searching my mind for any source of recognition.

There was none. His blue eyes were hopeful. Looking away from him, I looked to the doctor and shook my head slowly. The man made a small gasp, looking shocked. I stole a glance at him and he looked close to tears. The doctor grimaced, nodding.

"If you need anything, Miss Turner, press the red button on the side of your bed. I'll leave you two alone." he bowed his head and quickly left, closing the door behind him. It was just me and the guy now. He wiped his cheeks quickly with the back of his hand.

"You really don't recognize me?" his voice was incredulous. I tilted my head, confused. How did he know me? A brother, perhaps? _No. I didn't have any brothers, _a small voice in my mind whispered. Okay, so not my brother.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. There's nothing. No little light bulb. But, while we're here… I'm Jenna. Nice to meet you." I thought I might as well be polite, if I was going to meet the guy for the second time.

"There's no need for that, Jen." he sighed. "I'm Douglas, but everyone calls me Dougie. We've known each other for awhile, almost 5 years… We're kinda together. Engaged, to be specific." he awkwardly looked away. I felt my jaw slacken. I was engaged?

"Wait, wait, wait… what? We're engaged?" I blurted. It couldn't be. I didn't even recognize my own fiancé? The man I was wanting to spend the rest of my life with? How could I forget that face? Tears spilled down my cheeks, shock setting in. I mumbled a "sorry", wiping my cheeks quickly. Dougie, sympathetic of course, nodded.

"Your doctor says you can go out for a little while tomorrow," he said, slightly more cheerful. He looked out the window, breaking our eye contact. "Maybe your memory might start coming back soon, right?" he sputtered, trying to keep the conversation going.

"That's what the doc said. But, they're never 100% right, you know." I replied, dejectedly. I looked out the window too, not seeing anything interesting. I wondered what Dougie was looking at, there wasn't too much to look at. He nodded absently, looking back at me.

"Well… you look exhausted. Are you…" he paused, looking thoughtful. Taking a few steps around my bed, he stood next to me. "Do you mind?" I was a tad confused. "A hug." he clarified, noticing my confusion.

"Not at all." I replied, smiling. He gently wrapped his arms around me. I felt a bit sore and let out a small groan. Dougie apologized immediately, delicately holding me. After a few seconds of silence, he pulled away. Smiling, he kissed my forehead and stood up.

"I'll come by tomorrow. Is that alright?" he smiled again. I felt like laughing, but I didn't know why.

"That's fine." he nodded, getting ready to leave. He was almost out the door when I called, "Bye, Dougie." He stopped and looked at me. I couldn't help but notice how his blue eyes were so full of hope. He smiled, a smile so beautiful it made me catch my breath, and left the room. Looking down at my arms, I counted all of my bandages. There was an overall dull pain in my body, but it was nothing compared to what I had felt when I had first woken up.

Was I really going to remember things in the coming days? What about the next few months? Years? What if the memories never came back?


	3. An Overstayed Welcome

Part 03; An Overstayed Welcome

The rest of the week was uneventful. Dougie visited every day, however there were no memories that made me recognize him. It was as if he was a stranger to me. I didn't tell him that, I simply enjoyed his company.

He spoke to me of things I didn't recognize. I'd often listen, it was interesting, even if I didn't know what he was talking about. Many names he mentioned were lost on me.

"Do you remember anything I'm saying?" he asked me once. I shook my head, looking down. He patted my shoulder, smiling sadly. "Don't worry. It will come." He told me that he had a practice to go to, and that he'd come back tomorrow. I waved at him, watching him leave. It was getting quite late anyway.

Whenever I tried going to sleep, the pain kept waking me up. Every time I tried shifting position, I'd have a small jolt of pain. Eventually, I resigned that I wouldn't be able to sleep in the hospital. It just wasn't going to happen.

Dougie, or Douglas as the nurse called him, said that he would be picking me up soon. The doctors had cleared me for release and he asked if I wanted to go home. Any place was better than the hospital.

Although, I would probably miss my nurse. She was so interesting to talk to. Her name was Angela, but I called her Miss Angie. She often told me about her family, and gossip in the hospital. "Feeling alright? Nothing hurting?" I grinned at her, shaking my head. "Good. …You had good taste, lassie. He's a sweet heart, that one." she smirked at me. She knew that it still bothered me that I couldn't recognize him.

She was working on removing my IV needles and my vitals monitors. Rubbing a swab on my chest, she talked about how my doctor was flirting with a nurse in the nurse's station and how all the other nurses were jealous.

"And you, Miss Angie?" I smiled, chuckling. She laughed heartily, shaking her head. Sticking her tongue out at me, Miss Angie continued working on my arm.

"No, little one. I'm quite happy with my family. I don't need a smart aleck like him. You're never going to call me Angela, are you? I'll have to make you eventually." I bit my lip, giggling. "You're lucky that you're leaving so soon," she sighed. "Lucky, indeed. Well, you're all done now, little one. Let's meet somewhere outside of a hospital, okay?" she hugged me, smiling. I felt as if she was a second mother to me. A lump in my throat built up and I hugged her back. "Okay?" she pulled away, smiling. Her eyes shined and I nodded, tears in my own. Patting my hair, she nodded.

There was no more to say, and she left the room.

The doctor came around once more, to give me a final check up before I left. He gave me a clean bill of health, beginning to make small talk. I smiled and nodded at all the right times, not truly listening to him blather on. He began to notice my inattentiveness though.

"What is it, Miss Turner?" he asked, concerned. I looked down, embarrassed.

"Do you know when Douglas is coming?" I felt like a little school girl, asking this. The doctor smiled at me, his eyes twinkling.

"He has an appointment with his doctor around 1 in the afternoon. It's to change his cast. Surely, he'll come see you as soon as it's over." I nodded, taking in the information.

"Okay… thank you." the doctor nodded, patting me on the shoulder. He turned around and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I looked at the clock above the door. It read 11:30. _There's so much time to kill_, I sighed.

Removing the thin blanket that covered my legs, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. I scooted over to the edge, and I felt my back ache. Putting my feet gingerly on the ground, I attempted to stand. I found myself on the floor and cried out in frustration. _Had I lost the use of my legs? Surely they would've told me…_ I tried to shake away thoughts of paralysis. There was no way to get up like this. I stretched and contorted until I reached the edge of my bed. Pressing the red button, I grunted.

There was only a short wait until the doctor entered the room. He took in my situation and struggled to hide a chuckle. I wiped my cheeks quickly, feeling embarrassed. The doctor easily lifted me up and set me back into my bed. He laughed softly, patting my knee.

"Are you okay? Surely, you can find another way to relieve your boredom, Miss Turner." his jokes didn't make me feel any better. I felt sullen, but mostly embarrassed.

"My legs… they didn't work. I fell… Is there something wrong with them?" I whispered in a small voice. Worry was evident in my tone and the doctor looked sympathetic.

"Don't worry about it. It's perfectly normal. You were in a coma and your legs just… fell asleep, for the lack of a better word. It'll clear up in a little bit. The more you try to walk, the quicker it'll go away."

"Can you help me then? So I don't fall again?" I shouldn't have felt embarrassed for asking for help, seeing as I had done that for the entire week. But, I still did. It must have been my personality. The doctor nodded, smiling. He wrapped one arm around my waist and helped me stand up. The first time I slipped a little. Though as we stared walking around the room, I felt my legs begin to tingle. "Is it bad if my legs tingle?"

"No. That's perfectly fine." He helped me around the room a few more times, I felt my legs grow less tingly. By the end of it, I wasn't leaning on him anymore and we were walking side by side. "Well, it looks like your legs are awake again. Next time you want to try something like that, be sure to let someone know. Okay?" He seemed like he was going to say something else, but stopped. "Have a nice day, Miss Turner." he then quickly exited the room.

Sighing, I sat down on the edge of the bed. I looked at the clock again. Not that much time had passed, it was almost one o'clock now. There wasn't any news of Douglas yet, but I didn't really expect there to be either. Fiddling with the hem of the blanket on the bed, I tried to amuse myself. It didn't go so well. Playing with my bed, I accidentally turned on the TV.

Grinning, I flipped through the channels. I stopped on one that seemed funny. It had two men and a younger guy in it. Following it was slightly difficult, but I caught on quickly. One man was named Charlie and the other Alan, the young boy was the latter's son, Jake. I giggled every once in a while, it was quite a funny show. A knock on the door distracted me from Jake's antics on the television. I looked over and Douglas was standing in the doorway. I smiled, waving at him. He walked to the side of the bed. Leaning over, he kissed me on the forehead, just as he had every other day that he visited.

"Are you feeling okay?" He sat down next to me and held a small bag. I looked at it, but didn't really pay attention to it.

"I'm feeling pretty good." I didn't mention about me falling out of my bed. Douglas smiled, genuinely happy to hear that.

"That's great. Do you think you're ready to go now?"

"Um… I think so. Yeah."

"Here, if you want to change." He handed me the bag he held. I took it, looking it over. It was a like a purse, but bigger. I stood up, stretching. Thankfully, I walked over to the mini bathroom in my room without falling. Turning around in the bathroom, I shut the door.

Setting the bag on the counter, I unzipped it and looked through the clothing inside. Pulling out the first article of clothing, I inspected the grey sweatpants that Douglas had packed me. I shrugged, they were alright. Slipping them on, I made sure not to disturb any of the sore spots on my legs. Adjusting them on my hips, I took off the hospital gown and pulled out the shirt packed. It was a light grey t shirt emblazoned with the Superman logo.

It still surprised me at the menial things I could recognize, yet forget faces that mean the world to me. Pulling it over my head, I felt how sore my muscles were from lack of use. Straightening the shirt, I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked okay, I guessed. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. There were a pair of red TOMS in the bottom of the bag and I slipped them on. Wiggling my toes, I tried getting used to my feet in shoes. I ran my fingers through my hair, and bit my lip. "Good enough," I decided and opened the bathroom door. Douglas was waiting, watching TV on my bed.

Holding the bag in my lap, I sat next to my fiance. He smiled at me, putting his arm around my shoulder. I leaned into him, and we stayed like that for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what we were watching now, Douglas had changed the channel. It seemed to be some reality TV show, but I didn't recognize it. Kissing my cheek, Douglas stood and rubbed his hands together.

"Ready to go home?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yeah. Let's go." I smiled, tightening my grip on the purse I was holding. I stood and Douglas offered his hand. I took it, lacing my fingers through his. The feeling of holding his hand was familiar, but no memories came with it. Douglas smiled at me, though I could read the sadness in his eyes. I smiled back, to reassure him, even though his smile saddened me. I tried to shake off the feeling, and focused on the present. We made our way through the halls and caught an elevator to the ground floor. My heart fluttered in my chest, knees beginning to tremble. Douglas looked at me, smiling in reassurance. I nodded, trying to calm myself. We then exited the hospital and made our way through the parking lot. I still held Douglas's hand, for the simple fear of getting lost. Finally, we stood in front of a small black car. I hesitated for a moment, remembering that I'd been in the hospital for a car accident. Douglas squeezed my hand, noticing my hesitation.

"Don't worry about it. It's going to be fine." he tried cheering me up, but it didn't work that well. I took a deep breath, but the fear was deep set in me.

"But… But…" I murmured. Douglas stepped around to face me and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Jenna. Don't worry." he smiled at me, pulling me into a hug. "It's fine, okay?" he kissed my cheek again, pulling away. Walking over to the passenger door, he opened the door and gestured for me to get in. I nodded, taking another deep breath. Getting in, I buckled my seat belt and watched Dougie walk back around to the driver's side. Douglas opened his door, slid in. He started the engine and turned on the radio. A soft, acoustic song was playing and my nerves calmed some. He pulled out of the parking spot and quickly exited the parking lot. Douglas drove calmly, definitely under the speed limit, if only to calm my nerves. "Is this okay with you?" he chuckled. I felt embarrassed almost at him.

"Yes." I rolled my eyes, fiddling with the radio. Turning up the volume, I knew the song. It was a pop tune, with a female lead singer. "… Paramore. Right? I can't remember the name of the song though." Douglas looked at me oddly for a moment. He didn't say anything, but shrugged after a short time. I took it as he didn't know it. Continuing downtown, we drove in silence, save for the radio. I kept on getting distracted by the scenery, surprising myself with how much I recognized. We started to head into a more residential area. Entering a small suburb, Douglas slowed down a bit more. I recognized a house, it was small and painted white. "This is …our house?" He nodded, pulling into the drive way. Turning off the engine, we sat in the car for a moment.

"Douglas?" I whispered, looking at the house more. I could recognize it, like I'd seen it before. But, it didn't bring any other memories along with it, unlike what I would have thought.

"Call me Dougie, honey." he smiled, patting my hand gently. "Dougie, okay?"

"Sorry… Dougie." I said it once, liking how it sounded_._ "Will… Will I remember everything? Will it all come back some day?" I tried keeping my voice steady, but my emotions were getting the best of me. I didn't like all of this, being so… fragile. I wanted to be able to handle this, but it seemed overwhelming. Dougie smiled again, that same sad but happy smile.

"Of course you will," he replied, "Why do you ask that?"

"I don't know really. Everything feels so different. I feel like I've been reprogrammed or something. I feel like I have to do what Jenna would do. Am I Jenna? Or was she the girl I was before I woke up in the hospital? It's like I'm living Jenna's life, but I don't know if I'm Jenna." Traitorous tears slipped down my cheeks. I angrily wiped them away, not wanting to be considered weak.

"Jenna," Dougie put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Everything will come back to you. Don't worry about it. It's going to be fine." He explained, encouraging me. Pausing for a moment, I nodded. _I hope he's right._ Dougie opened his door and got out. Walking around the car, he opened my door. I stood, wiping my hands on my pants. Looking around the neighborhood, I sighed. There were bits and pieces that I remembered, but nothing that mattered. Dougie and I made our way up the steps, and entered the house.

I looked around me again, nothing really stuck out at me. There was nothing that I recognized. A lump formed in my throat. Would the memories ever come back?


	4. Turning Over A New Leaf

_Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry, y'all! I haven't updated in forever! I promise to update on a more regular basis. School's been so busy lately, I've just been on the go 24/7. I hope you guys like this chapter. c: I would love to hear what you think; all reviews, ideas, etc are greatly appreciated. Have a lovely day! xx_

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><p>I stepped forward, continuing to take in the house. Dougie watched me closely, I could feel it. It was strange, I had lived here but I wouldn't have been able to tell. Turning around, I looked at Dougie. He smiled at me, he must've known that I couldn't remember anything. I couldn't imagine how painful it was for him, how hard it was for him to keep smiling at me when he knew I had little memory of him.<p>

The phone rang in the other room and Dougie went off to go answer it. Looking around once more, I decided to take a shower. To my left was the kitchen and living room, where Dougie was on the phone. To my right was a small hallway. I went down the hall way and stopped at the door at the very end of it. Opening the door slowly, I looked inside. It was a bedroom, one that I assumed to be ours. Exiting the room, I closed the door quietly and went back to the door across from it. _Maybe this one is it, it's closest to the bedroom._ I thought as I opened the door. I was correct, looking into the bathroom.

Smiling at my small triumph, I tip toed in and closed the door behind me. I carefully undressed, making sure to put my clothes on the counter. I quickly opened the shower, turning on the water and got it. I scrubbed every inch of my body with the soap, wanting to make sure that everything from the hospital was off of me. Washing my hair, I hoped there wasn't any dried blood left in it. Shampoo got in my eyes and I yelled in frustration. "Of course you would." I spat angrily. Rubbing my eyes, I blinked exaggeratedly to make sure all soap was out. Turning off the water, I emerged from the shower and wrapped a towel around me.

Clothes in hand, I snuck out of the bathroom and into the bedroom next door. Drying off without any disturbance, I studied the room. It was fairly simple, painted a light green and had plush cream carpet, but it was nice. I began redressing, putting on my sweatpants again. With awkward timing, Dougie entered the room. I squeaked, surprised. Dougie immediately turned around, muttering apologies. Yanking the shirt on quickly, I turned around.

"It's okay now." I blushed, awkwardly announcing. He turned around, looking around awkwardly. Trying to break the awkwardness, I changed the subject. "Who was on the phone?" I sat on the bed, adjusting the legs of the sweatpants.

"Danny. He's coming over tomorrow with his girlfriend." he ran a hand through his hair. I almost asked who Danny was, not really remembering the name. "You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?" I paused a moment before shaking my head. "I guessed so. Finish getting dressed and come over to the living room, okay?" He sighed. "I'll explain everything." I nodded quickly and he left the room, closing the door behind him. Sighing again, I laid back on the bed.

"I fucking hate this." I shook my head. Why couldn't I remember anything? When would the memories come back? It felt like forever that I laid there. _Dougie's waiting…_

Sitting back up, I looked around the room and saw double doors. I reluctantly got up and walked over to it. "That must be the closet, or where he hides the dead bodies." I muttered aloud. Opening the doors, I was surprised by the sheer amount of clothes in it. The bottom rack seemed to have mostly clothes that looked like what Dougie wore, so I assumed them to be his. The top, however, had dresses and skirts and such. "Unless Dougie's fancies cross dressing, I'll assume these are mine." My shirt was still dry, so I didn't pick a new shirt. But, I had left my sweats on the floor near the shower, there was no saving them. I saw a pair of cotton shorts that looked comfortable enough and pulled them off. Quickly changing them, I tossed the sweats and wet towel into the hamper. I felt like that was good enough for 'finish getting dressed', and went to go dry my soaked hair. Exiting the bedroom, I closed the door and went across the hall… again. "Maybe I should've dried my hair _before_ getting dressed," I muttered. Finding the hair dryer, I plugged it in and dried my hair. Pulling it into a ponytail, I looked at myself in the mirror. Shrugging, I decided it was good enough and skipped down the hall to the living room. Plopping down onto the couch, I sat next to Dougie. He smiled at me, turning the volume down on the TV.

"Well, you look very pretty." he grinned, playing with my ponytail.

"Thanks, Dougie." I replied, feeling my cheeks flush. _Why was I acting like a little love struck teenager? He's my fiancé for crying out loud!_ I smiled shyly and rolled my eyes.

"Well ... What do you want to know?" Dougie seemed ready to start explaining. It surprised me a bit, I would've thought that he wouldn't want to talk about us when he was the only one that could remember it. But, I was eager to know, so I didn't need to be told twice.

"Everything!" I eagerly replied. "How we met, where I work, my friends, my family, anything! I don't remember much." I wanted to know everything. It was like a little girl wanting to be told a fairytale before bed, well… except for me being an adult.

"Let's see, this could take a bit. You have friends, so don't think you're some antisocial loner. You and Alex, Danny's girlfriend, are practically sisters, you two are so close. You're also friends with Danny, Harry and Tom. The four of us make up a band that's kinda big here." He paused for a moment. "Alex is really the one who got us together. You two met at a party of a mutual friend. Then, we met and started talking, and the guys put us on a blind date. And you can guess the rest." he smiled sadly, "Anyway. You work at a small clothing store in downtown, I already told your boss about your accident. She said to take as much time as you need." I nodded, understanding. This was so interesting to hear, as weird as it sounded to think. "As for your family, I can't tell you that much. You're from America, originally. And I don't think you guys got along that well." he sighed.

"Are they aware of the accident?" I wondered aloud. _Would they come to visit? Would they tell me stories about me as a child?_ I wanted them to, it was something I felt deep in my bones.

"No, the doctors weren't able to contact them." I felt my chest tighten. My parents were pretty much lost forever. "... Is there anything else, Jenna?" he had noticed my reaction, I quickly tried composing myself once more, for his sake.

"No, that's good. But... What do I do now? I don't remember anything that I did before?" My eyes stung with tears, even though I tried my hardest to keep them from coming. Dougie wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I leaned my head on his shoulder, squeezing my eyes shut. He rubbed my arms, trying to comfort me. What was wrong with me? Why had I forgotten? Why couldn't the memories come back yet? I hated to appear weak. Douglas pulled away and kissed my forehead.

"You'll remember, you will." he murmured, his voice determined. "The memories will come back, believe me." He looked me in the eye. "Believe me."

"I believe you." I nodded. I wanted to believe him so much, I honestly did.

"Thank you, Dougie."

"It's fine." He smiled. "Don't cry anymore, honey. It kills me, not being able to make everything right." he added, softly playing with my hair. I calmed down eventually, still in Dougie's arms. After a few minutes, he pulled back and kissed my cheek. "I have to call Danny, be back in a little bit. Okay?"

"That's fine." I replied, wiping my cheeks. Dougie went down the hallway into our bedroom. I pondered my options on what to do. I could clean, _Nope, not gonna do that,_ read, _Well, if I knew where the books were…_, explore the house some more,_ That would probably end up with me getting lost_, or to watch some TV. TV was my safest bet. I grabbed the remote, flipping through the channels. Laying back on the couch, I repeatedly skipped through TV shows. None of them were particularly interesting to me. _I wonder if I liked this show._ I would ponder, pausing on every few channels. I finally gave up, deciding that I'd have to clean instead. "I'm so bored, I've resorted to cleaning. This is sad." I sarcastically muttered, getting up off the couch.

The kitchen was dirty. I sighed and opened the dishwasher, ready to put dirty dishes in it… It was full of dirty dishes already. "Why didn't Dougie start it if it was full?" It made absolutely no sense. I rolled my eyes, opening a cabinet underneath the sink. The soap was in there, among a few other things, and I poured it into the dishwasher. Starting it, I looked back at the sink. Quickly washing the dishes in the sink, I set them out on a towel to dry. Starting to put them away, it struck me that I was opening the correct cabinets. Each time I put away a plate, glass or silverware, I opened the right drawer. It was like riding a bicycle. I felt giddy, a small triumph in my way to remembering.

Dougie entered the kitchen, not too long after I had finished. He looked a little confused, but overall amused.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Jenna?" he laughed, gesturing at the immaculate state the kitchen was in. "You cleaned everything. On a Thursday."

"Is that not what I normally did?" Biting my lip, I felt like I had done something wrong. That's not what I had expected to hear from him.

"You do, but not on Thursdays. You had a method to your madness." He explained, though it didn't really make that much sense. "But, one question… How did you know where to put everything?"

"Uhh… I guess I kinda remembered. I didn't even think about it, to be honest." I looked down, embarrassed. "Maybe it's starting to come back?" There was no way I could help from smiling.

"I told you, it's coming back." His smile made me catch my breath. Dougie pulled me into a tight hug, rubbing my back. He was happy, I could tell. Him being happy, well, it made me happy too.


	5. If At First You Don't Succeed, Try Again

Part 05; If At First You Don't Succeed, Try Try Again.

The rest of the day seemed to fly by. Tomorrow, Danny and Alex would be coming over … it made me a little nervous, to be honest. It wasn't like I was going to be able to recognize them. They knew me, well, the me before I lost my memory. And that scared me. Dougie had encouraged me to relax and not to worry about it, but it was a bit hard.

We were sitting on the couch, watching a movie. It was getting late, and I constantly dozed off during the movie. I had gotten lost long ago, the plot being a bit tangled. Dougie nudged me again, making sure I was awake. I yawned, blinking sleepily.

"I'm awake, I'm awake." It was obvious that I had been dozing. Dougie laughed softly, rolling his eyes.

"It's late, you should go to bed." he suggested, playing with my ponytail again. It didn't sound like such a bad idea. I decided to listen and head off to bed, getting up. Hugging Dougie, I told him good night. I went down the hall, turning to the bathroom. Washing my face and brushing my teeth, I yawned again. I didn't know what I had done to tire myself so. Shuffling to the bedroom, I opened the door and didn't bother turning on the light. There was enough light from the hall for me to find my way to bed without too many injuries. Slipping under the covers, the bed was cold. Curling up some, I turned on my side. I couldn't quite fall asleep with so many thoughts floating around in my head.

I was still getting used to this "new" life that I would be leading. I felt like I was standing in the way of someone else, like I was taking another girl's spot. Though, I had to admit I did like this new life. It would just take a little getting used to. But, my body wanted sleep, so my pondering was cut short…

The creaking of mattress springs woke me up, I looked over my shoulder to see what it was. Dougie had gone to bed. I rolled back over, a shiver went through me from the cool air.

"Did I wake you up?" he whispered, moving into a comfortable position next to me. _Yes. Obviously_. Being sarcastic came to mind, but I didn't dare. I knew he didn't mean to, so I shouldn't be mean to him.

"Kinda." I murmured back. It was dark and quiet in the house, so it should have been easy to fall back asleep. However, it wasn't.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." he replied, sounding like a little boy.

"It's fine." I assured him. Silence fell between us and I closed my eyes, trying to focus on falling asleep. Dougie shyly took my hand, squeezing mine gently. I squeezed his back, smiling. And for some odd reason, I was easily able to fall asleep.

The soft rays of morning sun warmed my back. Sleepily, I opened my eyes to see the face of my fiancé, still fast asleep. I was curled up next to Doug, still holding his hand like I had when I fell asleep. Sitting up, I got out of the bed and stood. Stretching, I yawned. It was early, seeing as the sun was still very low in the sky. Shuffling to the bathroom, I took a quick shower. I wrapped a towel around me and dried my hair as quiet as I could, trying not to wake Dougie up. When I finished, I put away the dryer and went back to the bedroom, straight to the wardrobe. I got dressed, choosing comfort over fashion with a pair of faded jeans and a light grey tank top. One of Dougie's shirts fell off the hanger while I was putting things back. Picking it up, I studied the blue and white plaid. I liked it, and it smelled wonderful. "He wouldn't mind, would he?" I smiled, looking at him. He was still asleep, so I took his silence to be him agreeing. Shrugging it on, I left the bedroom. I was fairly hungry, yet unsure of what to make.

Walking into the kitchen, I made a pot of coffee, still deciding on which way I liked it. I had tried different types since my accident, although I had been told I liked coffee with lots of milk and sugar. So far, I liked it the best black with sugar. Sitting on the counter, I patiently awaited the coffeepot to finish brewing. It was bright and cheerful in the kitchen, even without any lights on. The coffee pot beeped and I pushed off the counter. The smell of coffee was enticing, filling the room.

"You're up early." Dougie yawned, shuffling into the kitchen. He ran a hand through his hair, though it did little to fix it. I looked at the clock, pouring my coffee. Early wasn't exactly the right word… It was right at 11:45 am. I hopped back up on the counter, tasting my concoction. Very strong, but I liked it that way.

"Depends on what you call early. It's almost noon." I laughed softly. Blowing on the steaming liquid, small tendrils of steam billowed away. Sipping on the coffee, I studied Dougie some more. It was very obvious he had just woken up, considering he was still in a t-shirt and boxers, not to mention his groggy [yet strangely attractive] "morning" voice.

"Ah. Seems like you're still wearing my shirts. Some things never change." He winked at me, sitting on the counter next to me. He laughed, which made me in turn start laughing.

"It's comfy." I grinned, just a tad embarrassed. I wasn't lying, it was warm and soft. I leaned my head back, drinking the last of my cup. Setting it in the sink, I rinsed it out and left it to dry. "Do you want me to make you something? Surely, you're hungry."

"Well… I'm not really hungry. And if I eat later, then I won't have any room for dinner. So I'll wait." He kissed my cheek, hopping off the counter. I looked at the clock again. Danny and Alex would be over in awhile. I took a deep breath, knowing there would be a lot to do between now and then. Doug went to go take a shower and get dressed. The phone rang, I froze. I heard the shower running, so Dougie definitely didn't hear it. I would have to answer, but I was afraid that it was going to be someone that didn't know about my accident. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the phone, answering in a small voice.

"Jenna? Is that you?" The voice on the other line seemed surprised. I didn't recognize the voice, which made me nervous. It was a male, which made me think it would probably be for Dougie.

"Um, yes. It's me." I replied shyly. I fiddled with my hair, feeling a bit awkward.

"Great! It's Danny." He laughed heartily. I was about to answer when Danny added, "Doug around?"

"Um, Dougie's in the shower." I felt a little better, Danny didn't seem to notice that I didn't recognize him. Even though I _knew_ he had to know, being one of Dougie's best friends and bandmate.

"Ah, well, tell him that we'll be over in an hour, yeah? Can you do that?" There was a loud sound on his line. I wondered what it was, but didn't ask.

"Sure." It wouldn't be that hard of a task. Just tell Doug that they'd be over later. It wasn't like it was one of the Herculean Labours. I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes, but I knew that he was just being nice, so there was no use.

"Thanks, see you later!" He hung up and I did the same. Setting the phone down, I went back to the bedroom, looking for Doug. I heard the shower stop for a few seconds. Dougie stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. I studied him approvingly. _Kinda sucks that I don't remember him, he's pretty cute._

"What's with you?" Dougie laughed, noticing my staring. My mind blanked for a moment, _Fuck, what was I saying again?_

"Oh. Umm, Danny just called. They're going to be over in an hour." I stammered. Dougie nodded, a grin playing on his lips.

"That's great. Just enough time." he smiled. A small silence fell between us, unusually awkward too. I bit my lip and was about to leave, but Dougie grabbed my arm as I passed him. He blushed, lowering his head. _Okay… well this is different._ Normally, _I_ was the one to be embarrassed, not him. Quite a role reversal. "I was… God, this is awkward." He sighed. I giggled, biting my lip. "I, uh, I kinda wanted to try something… If it bothers you, go ahead get mad and slap me and push me all you want. But, don't say I didn't try." I got a general idea of what he was eluding to… but it still confused me. What good would it do?

"Well, okay then… Go ahead." I whispered. _This can't possibly end well_. I immediately tried to shake off the pessimistic feeling. _Positive. Be positive._

Dougie pulled me a little closer to him. Little red flags went up by instinct, but I pushed them away. Being this close, I noticed how blue his eyes were. Why hadn't I noticed how beautiful they were? "I'm afraid to frighten you," he whispered, breaking my train of thought. I shook my head, not answering. Dougie gently kissed me, and everything felt completely natural. There were sparks, oh boy, there were sparks. I had another feeling of déjà vu, but I ignored it. I felt my heart beat sky rocket. Doug wrapped an arm around my waist. The doorbell rang loudly, then again… and again. Dougie pulled back, not very pleased. He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Danny…"

"Someone's early." I laughed softly. "Finish getting ready." I stepped back, a grin on my lips. I felt like laughing, but I wasn't sure why. Doug laughed, shaking his head.

"It's just my luck."


	6. When You Start Talking, I Start Walking

Part 06; When You Start Talking, I Start Walking

Dougie looked at me, wanting my input. "Good enough?" He was wearing a white button down and dark blue skinny jeans. I nodded, smiling at him. He winked at me, laughing. Dougie left the room to go answer the door. I heard him laughing, along with two unknown voices. That fear seized me again, and I suddenly want didn't to leave the room. My hands were trembling. There was a knock at the door, I looked up to see Dougie standing in the doorway. He hadn't really left to begin with…

"You okay, Jenna?" he asked. I sighed, lowering my head. I knew that I was being irrational, there was no reason for me to be this worked up. This was me being a worrywart, why did I freak out over this? I hadn't even met them yet, and they put me into a panic attack.

"I… I'm fine." I lied. Doug immediately knew that I wasn't telling the truth. He sat down next to me on the bed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"…Is it because of Danny and Alex? Is this what's making you freak out?" He asked after a moment of silence.

"No. Yes… I don't know." I sighed. Dougie looked at me with sympathy, even though he had no idea of what I was going through. I still felt a little better, knowing he was on my side.

"Jen, you shouldn't worry about this. Everything will be fine. They'll understand, they won't do anything to upset you." He smiled at me, kissing my forehead. I tried to look calm, though I was really anything but calm.

"Won't it be weird, though?" I murmured. My stomach was doing flips, my heart was racing. I hadn't even met them yet and I was almost out of my mind. What would happen when I finally met the people who I suddenly feared?

"How so?" Dougie broke my train of thought, and I paused. I recollected my thoughts and remembered what I was going to say.

"They know everything about me. But, I know nothing of them."

"Don't worry about the details." Dougie stood, rubbing his hands on his jeans. "Now, come along. They're in the living room, we should be good hosts to them." I stood also, taking Doug's hand. We left the bedroom and went down the hallway. I caught a glimpse of a young man and woman, assuming that there were Danny and Alex. My fiance squeezed my hand, I squeezed back and smiled at him. Danny looked up, seeing me. He stood up, grinning at me. Alex did the same, pulling me into a hug. I caught my breath, awkwardly hugging her back. Danny did the same, then held me at an arm's distance.

"Well, for almost dying and all, I say you look pretty good." He smiled at me. I laughed. And with that, I knew it was going to be alright.

For almost an hour, we sat in the living room. We talked about everything and nothing. I was mostly listening, content with listening to what the others said. During a lull in conversation, I looked at the clock. It was getting around dinner time. I mentioned that I was going to fix our meal and Alex offered to help. Not knowing what else to do, I agreed and we went into the kitchen. Dougie proposed spaghetti, supposedly the best dish in my "repertoire of recipes". Alex and I were cooking in silence, though I didn't mind.

"It must be hard, you know." she said after awhile. I looked up from the pot of noodles, confused.

"What do you mean?" I wasn't exactly sure what brought that on.

"Oh, you know. Your memory loss. It must be hard on you and Doug." she replied, not even looking up from her work with the sauce. I tried to keep my face straight, _Where the hell did this come from?_ I wasn't too shocked though, she and Danny were the first "visitors" I'd had since leaving the hospital.

"Well, I can't disagree." I muttered. "I mean, it's gotta be hard on him. I'm a blank slate pretty much. But, he's been wonderful about all of this." Dougie had been a saint, I was really lucky to have him. He had been really understanding of me, and always made sure to accommodate for me.

"You just gotta stay strong, that's all I can say. Doug really loves you, he'd do anything for you. And, about that memory stuff, it'll come back." Somehow, just the simplicity of how she said that… it got to me. I felt a lump in my throat and my eyes stung.

"But… when? How long does Doug have to suffer?" I breathed, on the verge of tears. _Dammit, Jenna. Keep it together._ Why did I cry so much? I shook my head, wiping away any stray tears. And what if the memories never came back? What would I do then? Would Dougie not love me anymore? I apologized to Alex and quickly left the kitchen, ducking into the pantry. "God, I'm such a wuss." I sighed. Grabbing a small towel, I carefully wiped my eyes. Collecting myself again, I reentered the kitchen. Alex smiled at me, obviously sympathetic.

"Better?" She had pretty much finished cooking without me. I nodded, rubbing my hands together.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks." I felt better, I guess. Crying wasn't my preferred emotional outlet, even though it seemed to be the only thing I did when I was upset.

"If you ever need anything, Jen, you can tell me. We aren't best friends for nothing." She put a hand on my shoulder. I felt an empty sadness, at the last part… Best friends. Were we best friends? I didn't ask, because I knew that would just jumble the moment.

"Thanks, Alex. But, don't worry. I'm fine." I smiled at her. She would be the type of person I'd be friends with, or at least I thought so. "Well… the food isn't going to prepare itself, you know." I laughed.

Fifteen minutes later, we were all sitting at the table. The spaghetti was pretty good, surprisingly enough. I followed the conversation pretty well, putting in my two cents every so often. Doug nudged my elbow, smiling at me. I nodded, smiling halfway. Alex and I cleaned up and put the dishes in the sink, while Dougie and Danny returned to the living room. They were looking for a football game on the television when we came back in.

"So, yeah. We'll definitely postpone the marriage." Dougie said, not too long after I had sat down next to him on the couch. I gulped, looking down at the ring on my left hand.

"Uh… yeah. Marriage." My voice cracked a little. I had forgotten that we were supposed to get married… I mean, I knew that's what a fiance and fiancée did. But, I hadn't thought about it though. Alex must've noticed my uneasiness.

"You guys were only starting the planning, you know. It's not like it's going to be next week. You guys can postpone it without much trouble, I bet." she smiled, trying to reassure me. I nodded slowly.

"Yeah, you're right." I murmured, staring at the ring again. I wondered about the mystery surrounding the glittering gemstone. _When did he give it to me? Where? What happened after? How long were we dating?_ I had no answers to any of them, but that was only a minor obstacle. Eventually, everything would turn out alright… right?

The rest of the afternoon went by in the blink of an eye. Around dinner time, Alex and Danny made their exit, but only after a long string of goodbyes. I stayed in the living room, watching a movie that I had chosen at random. According to Dougie, it was one of my favourites and I would always cry like a baby at the end. Doug had decided to practice his bass instead, since he said that he didn't "enjoy the movie as much as I did". I sat through it, waiting and waiting. The credits appeared… and there were no tears. Surely, Doug was wrong, because I didn't like the movie at all. It was far too sappy and unrealistic. I heard Doug coming into the living room and changed the channel before he could come in and find me watching the movie.

"So… what was it that I found so sad in that movie we were talking about?" I asked, trying to be nonchalant. Dougie sat down beside me on the couch, putting his arm behind me.

"Umm… I don't know. You were always such a softie with the animals. But, I never quite understood it." he shrugged, grimacing. He tilted his head, thinking, but it wasn't long before he shook his head. _Well… maybe we'll never know._ I thought absently.

"Oh… Well… I worked myself up for nothing about Danny and Alex. They were nice, I like them." I mused, playing with a lock of my hair.

"That's great! I bet they would love to hear that." he smiled. He kissed me gently, and pulled away. I just noticed how his eyes crinkled as he smiled, something else to tuck away in my mind. "I love you, Jenna." he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, looking me in the eye. I felt my cheeks flush, my mind going blank.

"I… It will come."


	7. Bad Omen

Part 07; Bad Omen

I bit my lip. I couldn't lie, not like that. Dougie didn't deserve something like that. Standing up abruptly, I left the room, shaking my head. Dougie's eyes burned into my back. He must have been hurt, confused, maybe even angry. Was it my fault that I didn't want to make him suffer? Lying to him would only hurt him in the end. Slipping into our bedroom, I got under the covers, not even bothering to change out of my clothes. Dougie entered the room, quietly knocking at the door before he did. He sat down on the edge of the bed, silent.

"What… Did I do something wrong?" He asked softly after a long pause. I rolled over, looking at him. Sitting up, I pulled my knees to my chest.

"No. You didn't do anything wrong." My answer was short, and I knew he'd ask something else. But, couldn't he tell that I just wanted to be alone right now?

"Then, why did you leave like that?" Squeezing my eyes shut for a moment, I grimaced. Dougie must've been dropped on his head as a baby or something, my entire body language was screaming for him to leave me alone.

"I didn't want to hurt you." Setting my chin on my knees, I replied quietly. Dougie blinked, confused. I sighed, not elaborating on anything.

"Hurt… me? How would you do that?" The smile on Dougie's lips was soon to be broken. He wasn't smiling out of happiness, but out of disbelief. It wasn't going to be pretty when I answered him.

"Yes. You tell me you love me, but there's one problem with this. I don't love you, Dougie." Dougie's face crumpled for a moment, but quickly gained his composure again. He slowly shook his head, his expression utterly confused. I looked down, playing with the fabric of the blanket. Heavy silence fell between us, Doug looking away. When our eyes met again, I noticed his eyes were shining.

"I know… I know what you mean." He whispered. "But, like you said… it will come."

"But, then, you'll just be suffering every day! I don't remember you, I don't remember anyone! It's like someone wiped my memory clean. It's not fair to you!" My voice was rising, anger flaring. I didn't mean for it to, covering my mouth when I realized I had been so loud.

"Jenna! It's only been a few days since you got out of the hospital! You've got to give yourself some time to heal."

"But, what if it never comes back?" My eyes burned again, tears slipping down my cheeks. I angrily wiped them away.

"Don't be like that. Your memory will come back." He encouraged me. I honestly did want to believe him, but that seed of doubt was still at the back of my mind. I nodded, to reassure him. "So, don't worry about it." He stood, shedding off his shirt and pants. Getting underneath the covers, he wrapped an arm around my waist. I put my hand over his, smiling faintly, and looked out the window. The moon was so big, so bright, I couldn't help but be mesmerized by it.

"Dougie… Be truthful. What would you do if I never got my memory back?" My voice sliced through the peaceful silence. I could feel Doug tense up a bit.

"I… I don't know." he murmured after a few moments of silence. I felt Dougie's forehead press gently at the nape of my neck, resting there. His response made my heart ache. I tried to keep the threatening tears at bay, but I could feel that my pillow was damp already. Doug's breathing fell into a rhythm, and I knew he was asleep.

"At least you're honest." I whispered before closing my eyes. Sleep seemed to overcome me at once.

When I awoke the next morning, I felt warm breath on the back of my neck. It was Dougie, as I already knew, but it still surprised me. I gently wormed my way out from underneath his arm without waking him. He'd been under a bit of stress, what with my little outbursts and all. I quickly showered and changed into a new set of clothes.

I slipped down the hall silently and went to the kitchen. My stomach growled, I rubbed it absently. Opening the fridge door, I grabbed the carton of milk and set down at the table. Fixing my bowl of Frosted Flakes, I poured the milk into my bowl. Since there was no one around, I didn't mind that I slurped. The door bell rang in the hall, I looked down the hallway. No sign of Doug being awake yet. Resting my spoon in the bowl, I headed for the door. Opening the door, I discovered a guy about my age.

"Um, hello." I smiled awkwardly. Tucking a piece of my hair back, I tried to figure out if Dougie knew him. Of course, I had no idea nor recollection of the young man. But, I guessed it would be good to be polite, just in case he did know Dougie.

"Hey, Jenna. I… I learned about your accident, I'm really sorry." He came a step closer. He smiled, almost knowingly. Instincts were kicking in by now, I didn't want him to come much closer. I didn't want him to be any closer than he was, I didn't know why but that's how I felt.

"Oh, it's fine… Um, but who are you?" I tilted my head, still not recognizing him. The guy was about to answer, opening his mouth. There were a pair of hands on my waist, making me freeze. I looked behind me, seeing Dougie. I smiled at him, but his face was stony. The young man looked from me to Doug, his features hardening as well. He closed his mouth, hardening his jaw.

"Here, Jenna. Let me do it." Dougie leaned around me, shutting the door with a slam. I stepped back; Dougie staying by the door, bristling. He was standing rigid, watching the young man leave. When he was satisfied, he turned around, rubbing his temples. I didn't press the subject just yet, returning to the kitchen. My cereal was still… crisp, if that was the right word. I sat down, continuing to eat. Dougie finally came back into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. He wrapped his fingers around a hot cup of coffee.

"Who was that guy?" I asked, trying not to agitate him too much. Dougie looked up from his untouched coffee with a bewildered look on his face.

"Oh… right. I forgot… He was your ex." Doug replied, indifferent. He rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Why did he come here then?" I was still a tad confused. It bewildered me that my ex-boyfriend had come here. I was engaged… wasn't it kind of tacky to show up at your ex's house when she was engaged and recovering from a coma?

"I don't know… Honestly, I don't want to know. He's… his mind, it's pretty twisted in there. Just… don't talk to him."

"Jealous, much?" I laughed. Dougie paled, shaking his head. "…Okay then. Is he dangerous or something?" I shrugged, taking a bit of cereal.

"Yes!" Dougie looked at me as if I was dim. "When you two broke up, he attacked you. It was pretty bad." Gulping, I felt my blood run cold. The guy who was just at the door had attacked me when I broken up with him? What type of lunatic was I dating? What would happen if I ran into him on the street? How would he react?

"But… he won't hurt me, right? I'm not in danger?" I squeaked.

"No. As long as I'm around, he'll never hurt you." Dougie put his hand over mine and smiled. I smiled at him. Kissing him quickly, I stood up and put my bowl in the sink. "I'm starving. I'm going to make my breakfast. I'll meet you in the living room, yeah?" He opened a cabinet or two, looking for cereal. I, still feeling uneasy, went into the living room and sat on the floor. Turning on the TV, I flipped through the channels.

I tried to quiet the fear in me. I knew Dougie was right, as long as I was with him, nothing could happen.


	8. Exodus

Part 08; Exodus

A few days had passed, still no memory had come back. I persuaded Doug to make an appointment with my doctor. I didn't feel like any of the memories would come back soon. If I did ever "remember" something, it was always in the form of a blurry image, but it didn't stay long. From time to time, there would be a clear image at the front of my mind. However, those were for only a moment and were lost by the time I could actually try to process it.

Today had gone on for what seemed like to be eternity. But, it didn't phase me too much, since I had slept quite late today. Dougie was watching some film, a documentary on a musician's career. Snuggled up against Dougie, I was reading through messages on my Facebook. I replied to some, the ones from friends. Yawning, I stretched out some.

"Go to bed, you look tired." my fiance said after a moment of me being sprawled all over the couch. He played with my hair, making a funny face at me. "It's more comfortable than the couch."

"You're right… you should be getting to bed too, you know." I pouted.

"Right, I'll be there in a bit." he replied, kissing my forehead. I rolled over and sat up. Going back into the bedroom, I quickly changed into my pajamas and slipped under the covers. A few minutes later, Dougie joined me. He stroked my cheek, kissing me tenderly. "I love you, Jenna."

"Dougie…" I murmured. He knew what he was getting into, last time he said that we had gotten into an argument of sorts.

"I know, I know. Even if your memory doesn't come back, I'll stay with you. You're too precious for me to lose." He leaned his forehead against mine, smiling. Doug kissed me again, though this time it was more aggressive. His hands slipped around my back to the clip of my bra. I pulled back immediately, looking at Dougie in confusion. His expression was a question.

"Uhhh… no." I whispered. "Not now."

"Oh… I didn't mean to rush you." He stammered, rolling over to lay on his back. I felt like an idiot, because I knew that it wasn't like we were still inexperienced teens. But, I thought I should get a little bit of time to get back into the groove, for the lack of better words. Out of habit, I snuggled up against him. Then, I realized he might still be miffed from me shutting him down, but he surprisingly didn't act like it. I traced his tattoo absently, always intrigued by the intricate colors and patterns on his shoulder. Doug turned to me again, kissing my forehead.

"So, your memory?" he whispered.

"Oh… yeah, nothing's really come back yet." I sighed. He kissed my neck and I rolled my eyes, gently pushing him off. "Come on, Doug." My voice sounded more irritated than I felt, I grimaced when I realized how sharp I sounded. Doug looked at me, his eyebrows raised. He bit his lip, and stood up.

"Sleeping on the couch tonight before I get myself into even more trouble." He pulled on his t shirt from earlier and left the room. I sat up, sighing. Why was I even here if I made him so unhappy? It wasn't like I asked for this. Doug deserved a girl that could honestly remember the moment they met, not have to be told about their first date. He didn't need me messing up his life.

"Screw it," I groaned. Getting up from the bed, I went to the closet. I grabbed shoes, a sweater, pants, and other clothes. Pulling on a jacket, I slung the purse on my shoulder. I smoothed out the sheets of our bed and left the room. Looking around the dark living room, I saw Dougie sprawled out on the couch, asleep. I kissed his cheek before going into the kitchen. Pulling out the drawer, I rummaged for a paper and pen. Quickly, I scribbled out a note to my fiance. Leaving my ring on the counter, I left the kitchen. Shutting the door behind me, I exited the house. Pulling out my cell phone, I called a taxi. It was cold, cold enough that I could see my breath. Rubbing my arms, I waited until I saw the headlights of a familiar yellow taxi. Slipping in the back, I looked back at the dark house.

It was best that I did leave. Dougie could start over with a girl, one that had all of her memory.


	9. Packing Light

Part 09; Packing Light

Even though it was extremely late, I had managed to get a taxi to deliver me to the train station. I entered the main building and looked around at how empty it was. Going to the ticket booth, the bored ticket lady perked up a little bit. "Good evening, miss. Can I help you?" the lady said sickly sweet.

"A ticket on the next train, please." I said, stifling a yawn.

"It's going to Manchester. And it leaves in 10 minutes." she replied, typing on her computer. I nodded, blinking a lot.

"Perfect." I paid and left, thanking her. I quickly followed the signs to the boarding dock. A train was already waiting there, doors wide open. I jogged onto the train, trying to not wince as my bag banged against my hip.

Handing my ticket to one of the conductors, he guided me to a small booth. Thanking him, the man nodded and left. I sat down, throwing my bag onto the seat across from mine. Sighing, I closed the door of the booth, and played with my fingers. The absence of the ring on my hand disturbed me, I had been so used to it there; it felt weird for it to be gone. Resting my forehead against the cool glass, I watched my breath fog up a small circle on the window.

The train shuddered, making a grating noise, and began to move away from the train station. I watched the landscape fly by, taking a deep breath. Leaving was the best solution, or at least that's what I tried convincing myself. I just couldn't see Dougie be unhappy, and I knew it must frustrate him in the state that I was in.

To be honest, I was doing him a favour. I was giving him a chance to start over, not being burdened by me. And… as for me… Well, I could find someone else. But, that seemed unlikely. Who would want a girl who couldn't remember what her life was a month ago? I decided that I wouldn't even address those thoughts until later. I laid down, pulling my jacket tighter around me and fell asleep.

Lurching forward, I opened my eyes and tried to not fall into the floor. The train had stopped, a little too abruptly for my taste. I sat up, stretching. Even though I had slept the entire ride, I was still tired. Grabbing my bag, I stood and exited my booth. In the narrow hallway, there was a mass of people leaving the train. I sheepishly followed them and stood on the boarding dock.

It was very early, the sky still dark even though there were shoots of lighter pinks on the horizon. Exiting the station, I found myself in search of a taxi. Rubbing my eyes, I waited until I could find a cab that hadn't already been taken. I saw one, only a little walk's away, that seemed to have been forgotten about. Smiling, I quickly slipped in the backseat. A young man, who couldn't have been much younger than I was, grinned at me from the front seat.

"Where can I take you, ma'am?" He said, with the familiar drawl of a Southerner. An American Southerner. I couldn't help but smile at him. I may have not had any clear memories of life in America, but anyone could recognize the typical accent.

"Oh…" I paused, my smile faltering. "Umm, the nearest hotel, please? I'm not very familiar with this area." He nodded, turning back around. We drove for a few minutes, heading into the downtown area. The driver stopped at a large hotel. My eyes widened, this had to at least be a four star hotel… And an expensive one at that. A room here would cost a pretty penny. Paying the driver, I got out of the car and stared up at the building. Going inside, I stood in the enormous lobby. I felt like my scruffy shoes might scuff the spotless marble floors. I quickly headed to the lobby and the clerk standing there smiled at me.

"Good morning, miss. How may I help you?" the young woman seemed to be very chipper, especially at this hour of the morning. I looked at my phone, it was 3 AM. Very chipper, indeed.

"I would like a room, please." I replied, still trying to figure out why the lady was so awake. I knew it was her job to keep a perky appearance, but still… Did she run on Energizer batteries or something?

"For how long?" She asked, typing away at her computer. She looked at my lack of bags. "Just one night?" she seemed to have dealt with this before.

"Yeah." I sheepishly nodded. She continued typing and then held out her hand expectantly. It took me a moment to realize, _Oh… I need to pay._ Opening my purse, I pulled out my wallet. Hotels didn't take cash often, so I took the credit card out of the slot and handed it to her. _I'll pay that back later._ The clerk swiped it and smiled at me.

"Oh, welcome back, Miss Turner. Enjoy your stay at the Gardenia." She handed me a room key, 3206 emblazoned on it. I took it and gave her a small smile. Walking across the lobby, I stood in front of the elevators and pressed the up button. It felt like forever that I stood there until the doors finally opened. Thankfully, there was no one else in it as I entered the small cabin. I assumed I was on the 3rd floor, seeing as that was the first number in my room.

Pressing the number 3, I watched the doors slowly close and felt my stomach lurch as we went up. A bit later, the doors opened to a long corridor. I walked down the hallway, following the numbers.

"3200... So 3206 should be nearby." I murmured aloud, slowing down. I found Room 3206, and passed my card through the lock. It beeped and flashed a tiny green light. Opening the door, I locked it behind me and blindly searched for a light switch. I ran into a low coffee table, crying out and rubbing my shin. "That's going to bruise." I muttered. Feeling the wall, I flipped the switch and felt pride at my tiny triumph, even though I knew I shouldn't have. Setting down my bag on the floor, I slipped into the plush bed, the sheets were cool and smelled like fresh rain. I rolled over, and felt weird, knowing that were wasn't going to be someone next to me when I woke up.

_Dougie Poynter_

There was a loud sound in the living room, startling me awake. I rubbed my eyes, and looked around. The house was quiet and dark. I sighed, and looked at the television. Sure enough, some old military movie was on and they were in an intense battle scene. Yawning, I stood up. My back ached, the couch was definitely not for sleeping. Shuffling down the hallway, I was going to go back to bed. Surely, Jenna would be asleep by now. Opening the door slowly, I slipped back under the covers. Rolling onto my side, I noticed that Jenna wasn't in bed. _She's probably in the bathroom._ I assumed, and didn't think twice about it. Some time passed and Jenna hadn't come back yet. Sitting up, I found it peculiar. Going into the bathroom, I saw that she wasn't in there either. Going into the kitchen, I flipped on the lights. Not in here either. Something shiny on the counter caught my attention. I stepped closer for a better look… It was Jenna's ring. It was as if someone had knocked the air out of me. There was a note underneath it, the neat script definitely belonging to Jenna. I picked it up, reading it.

_Dougie,_

_I bet that you're probably going to read this tomorrow morning when you get up. And I'm sorry. I really am. It's just that I can't do this, I can't live here and watch you be like this. Every time you look at me, I can see that sadness in your eyes. And when you say "I love you", you know I can't say that I do too. I know that you don't want me to go, but I made this decision. Don't suffer because of me. Just forget about me, go find another girl and start over. Your life will be so much better, I promise._

_Again, I'm really sorry. Maybe it was meant to be like this And, don't look for me, it's not worth it. I'm not worth the trouble._

_-Jenna_

I felt tears roll down my cheeks, and I quickly wiped them away. Gripping the ring, I dropped the note on the counter. Running back to the bedroom, ring in hand, I grabbed the phone and dialed the first number that came to mind.

"Harry! She's gone! Jenna's gone!"


	10. Caffiene Rush

Part 10; Caffeine

_Jenna Turner_

My phone was ringing, I opened my eyes. Looking at it, I put it on silent and put it back on the pillow next to me. "Well, there goes sleeping." I sighed. Sitting up in bed, I turned on the TV. The news was quite bland, the weather was so close to boring myself to death. Standing up, I went to my bag, changing out of my clothes into a red tank top and denim shorts. It was supposed to be very warm today, so I was dressing for the occasion. I didn't bother with make up, seeing as I wouldn't be running into anyone I know. Putting away my things, I brushed my hair until it looked presentable. Slinging my messenger bag on my shoulder, I left the room and made sure I locked the door behind me. Returning to the massive lobby, I returned my card to a [different] clerk and left the hotel.

Even though I knew it wasn't very safe to do, I decided to start learning the streets of Manchester the old fashioned way: by walking around aimlessly. Turning a few corners and crossing countless streets, I found myself inexplicably lost. But, it was still early afternoon and I had been staying in the areas that seemed safest.

Turning another corner, I felt someone gently grab me by the arm. Immediately pulling away, I turned around and saw a familiar face. I was standing in front of the man who had visited our house. It was my ex boyfriend.

"Jenna… What are you doing here?" he smiled, pleasantly surprised to see me. My heart thudded loudly and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears.

"Uhh, I have to go." I stammered. I was supposed to stay away from him. He was dangerous, even though he didn't seem like it.

"Oh, come on, Jenna. Don't be like that. I know that Dougie probably told you some bad things about me. But, don't listen to what he's told you. You don't need to be afraid of me." he seemed like a nice guy, and he had to be a good person if I had dated him. Well, I assumed he would be a good person; I could've gone through a rebellious phase, but he didn't seem like that type either.

"This may sound bad, but… What's your name again?" I asked timidly. I could feel my cheeks burning and hoped they weren't red.

"It's Gabriel, but everyone calls me Gabe." he stuck out his hand and I hesitantly shook it. "What exactly are you doing in Manchester anyway?" Gabe laughed, running a hand through his short black hair. I bit my lip, fumbling for an answer.

"I wanted a vacation." I lied, hoping he would believe me. He took the bait, laughing even harder.

"You wanted a vacation… so you come to Manchester? You haven't changed a bit!" he shook his head. I wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but smiled anyway. "So which hotel are you staying at? I can drive you back to it, if you want."

"Umm… none. I only checked into the hotel for one night." I played with a lock of my hair, embarrassed.

"Well, it's getting pretty late. If you want, you can crash at my place for a night or two. It's not that far from here." Common sense told me no, that I could go find another hotel. But, I wondered if it was only because of the things Dougie had told me. Gabe didn't seem like such a bad guy, actually he seemed pretty nice.

"Umm… okay. Thanks." I murmured. Even though I didn't remember him, I somewhat trusted him, against everything that I had been told. We walked a small distance to a black car. He sat in the driver's seat while I stood outside the car for a moment. It became apparent to me that he wasn't going to open the door for me, so I opened it myself. I didn't know why I expected him to, maybe it was something that Dougie did or something like that.

We drove for a few minutes, maneuvering through heavy traffic. Parking in front of a large apartment building and got out of the car. I didn't assumed this time and followed him. He chattered while we walked up the stairs, but I didn't pay much attention, simply nodding and murmuring agreement as we walked. He turned down a hallway and stopped. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a set of keys. Grinning at me, he unlocked the door. Holding open the door for me, Gabe waved me in his apartment. I looked around, surprised be how big it was.

"This is yours?" I murmured. Gabe smiled, chuckling.

"Yes, this is mine. I didn't steal someone's keys. You used to live here too, you know." Gabe showed me the room I'd be sleeping in and I put my bags in there. Looking around the apartment some more, Gabe suggested that I should go check out the nearby Starbucks. I shrugged, grabbing my purse.

Exiting the building, I walked in the direction of the Starbucks. I checked my phone, seeing that there were a few missed calls. They were from Dougie. I felt bad for not answering, knowing tha he was definitely worried. I paused, shaking my head. _No, Jenna. You told him to forget you. You should do the same thing_.

I entered the café, which was practically deserted. There were a few stragglers, absorbed in their own lives. I walked to the counter and ordered a vanilla cappuccino. Then, I went to go sit at a table that was farther off from the rest. The barista came with my order and I thanked her. A few minutes passed while I waited for the steaming cup to cool down. A hand brushed by my shoulder, making me jump. I turned around to see Danny behind me, who looked surprised but very happy.

"Oh, it _is_ you, Jenna! What a surprise to see you here!" He pulled me out of my chair and into a hug. I awkwardly hugged him back. "Why did you leave, Jen? Doug's been pretty worried, you know… Actually, I've got a great idea. We'll go see him!" Danny seemed quite pleased with himself for finding me. I didn't have time to get a word in,

Danny dragged me outside the Starbucks, leaving my untouched coffee on the table. He walked to his car, opening my door. I sat in the passenger's seat. Danny quickly jogged to the other side, and started driving back towards the uptown area. Danny was talking about anything and everything, until he noticed me not answering. He looked at me and smiled sadly. The rest of the journey was in silence, which suited me fine.

After a little bit, he parked in front of a glamorous hotel and led me inside. We got on the elevator and Danny pressed their room floor. We went up and said nothing. Then, Danny pulled out his phone and dialed a number quickly. He didn't say much, but I knew he was talking to Dougie.

"I bet he'll be happy to see you. He's been driving the rest of us up the walls." Danny smiled. I bit my lip, lowering my head. This wasn't exactly what I wanted. But, I didn't really say no, because I liked Danny. And he was just trying to be nice, I knew that. But, seeing Dougie wouldn't be very good.

"Oh. I see."

The elevator doors opened, Danny telling me that Dougie was on this floor, and that if I needed anything that I should call him. I got off the elevator. The hallway was quiet. Leaning against the wall, I was tempted to get back in the elevator and call another taxi to take me to Gabe's apartment. But, there was footsteps behind me and I heard an all too familiar voice.

"Jenna?"


	11. Reunion

Part 11 Reunion

I turned around and there stood my ex fiancé. He looked like he hadn't had sleep in weeks, but I had only left yesterday. He smiled weakly at me. Approaching me, Dougie pulled me into a hug. I felt awkward, not knowing what to do.

"I was so worried about you, Jenna." he whispered. I blinked, grimacing. It was with great difficulty that I pushed him away.

"Did you not read the note I left you?" I had to choose my words carefully. Dougie looked at me as if I had sprouted a third eye.

"But... Honey, what's going on? What's gotten into you?" Dougie started, he made this even more difficult for me.

"Just accept it already! My memory is never coming back! I'm never going to be the Jenna you want! She's gone!" I cried out. It made me so angry, not Dougie, but the whole memory bit.

"Jenna..." He sighed, his eyes showing sadness.

"Get used to it. It's never going to come back." I crossed my arms, looking away. "Just... Just forget me. It's the best thing to do."

"When you figure out how stupid that is, come find me." Dougie shook his head, turning away. He walked back to his room and slammed the door shut. I wiped my eyes, and sighed. If he would just hate me, maybe he would move on. It would hurt, but Dougie would be happier that way.

I felt a hand on my forearm and I knew it was Danny. I hugged him, trying to not cry. He patted my back and didn't ask. He probably heard everything anyway.

"You okay, Jen?" he asked softly after a few minutes. I pulled away, wiping my cheeks. I nodded. Danny smiled at me, knowing that I was lying.

"I... I don't know. He's upset, I don't think he understands." I murmured.

"He'll calm down, don't worry about that. But, are you really sure this is the best way to do this? I know you don't really feel like that. I may not be that smart, but I get things that the other guys don't." Danny halfway smiled. I gulped.

"Wh-What do you mean?" I stammered. He knew, I felt my knees begin to tremble.

"I think you already know what I mean. But, I won't say anything. You need to fix this yourself."

"I will. That's why I left." I sighed. It was weird, having this heart to heart with Danny. I had met him only once before, but he read me like a book.

"That's not going to fix anything." Danny frowned. "You shouldn't leave if you still love him." I began to wonder if Danny was a shrink in another life.

"But... I don't love him. The girl before the accident loved him. I'm not that girl." My voice was very small. I had went back and forth on this issue many times before.

"Do I have to spell this out for you? You are Jenna, you were Jenna before the accident and you are Jenna now. It's obvious that you don't want to leave him, but you think you're helping him. And in reality all you're doing more harm than good."

"... If I was the same girl as I was before the accident, I wouldn't have left... Danny, its obvious that Doug isn't going to forgive me for awhile. Can you take me back to the apartment building?" Danny took the hint.

"Sure." he smiled wistfully. We got back in the elevator, going down this time. "And just for the record, the Jenna before the accident would have left Dougie. If she felt that it would leave him better off, then she would do it. Because she loved him that much. But she didn't always think things through, just like you." Danny added after a few moments of silence. The elevator went down much slower than it had gone up, so there was a heavy silence between us while we were going to the lobby. We arrived at the ground floor and exited the hotel. Getting into the car, we drove back to the Starbucks. From there, I gave him directions to the apartment building. We sat parked in front of Gabe's building for a few minutes. "I remember this place, I don't know how or why. But I do." he muttered, looking up at the building with suspicion.

"I know what you mean. Apparently, I lived here, according to Gabe." I replied, wondering what he was doing right now. I had been gone awhile, he might have thought I ran off.

"Gabe?" Danny asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah, my friend who lives here." I replied, skipping over all the messy details.

"Hmm. Don't know him." he shrugged. "Well... It was nice seeing you." he smiled at me. "Keep in touch, yeah?"

I laughed a little. "I'll try." I waved at him, getting out of the car. Walking back into the building, I knew that Danny didn't leave yet. He was probably going to see if I had just led him here to throw him off, which I must admit would be fairly smart. But, I hadn't even thought of that, nor did I find any reason to do so.

Climbing up the stairs, I realized that I didn't have a key. Knocking on the door, I heard a small noise. The door opened and Gabe stood there, beer in hand. "You're back." he smiled. I entered the living room and sat down on the couch. There was a football game on TV, already at the 102 minute mark. Gabe followed and sat down at the other end of the couch.

"Yeah, I ran into a friend of mine. We got to talking and the time seemed to fly by." I wasn't exactly lying. I considered Danny a friend, and we did talk. There were just some things in between that would probably upset Gabe... And I didn't want to test his temper. Gabe nodded, but I could tell he was really watching the game. "Umm... I'm going to my room, okay?"

"Okay. If you need anything, just call." he added as I got up. Opening the door to my room, I shut the door behind me. Kicking off my shoes, I walked around the room. It was obviously a guest room, there was no one exact decoration style. A few photo albums were sitting on the dresser, as if they hadn't been put back. I picked up the one on the top, it had a picture of me and Gabe on the cover. I touched the picture, staring at it. Opening the book, I saw there were small circular spots on the pages. Like someone had went through this and cried. I paused when there was a group picture of us, with me and Gabe and Dougie and Danny and Alex. There was a few more people that I didn't recognize, 3 other girls and 2 other guys. We were all dressed up very nicely, and looked very happy. I turned the page again but there were no more pages. I could tell they had been ripped out. I set the album back on the dresser.

Laying back on the bed, one picture stuck out in my mind. We were on the beach, the same group as in the last picture, but the mood was different. Dougie was obviously joking and kissed my cheek while the picture was being taken, I was laughing and pushing him away. But, Gabe had a dark look on his face. The girl next to Dougie had the same look. But, even I could tell he was joking. The caption read, Looks like Gabe's got a jealous side! ;)

But still... The picture stayed with me for some reason. I rubbed the small indention on my ring finger, just like I had on the train. The argument I had with Dougie came to mind. I could clearly remember the sadness in his eyes, and then how angry he was. I could understand, since I had been so difficult. Lying on my side, I tried to sleep but I couldn't. I laid there for a long while, staring at the blank wall. After awhile, there was a knock at the door. I answered for Gabe to come in. He opened the door halfway, leaning in.

"Are you hungry? It's almost 8 o'clock." he asked softly. I sat up to look at him. I shook my head, pulling my knees to my chest. I felt empty, but not in that way. I didn't want food, I wanted to sleep. "Well... You should eat something. It's not good for you. Did you eat a late lunch?" I tilted my head, thinking. No, actually I hadn't. I hadn't eaten all day, to be honest. Normally, I would've been starving if I skipped just breakfast... But of course today hadn't been very normal.

"No... But, I'm not hungry. I don't know why." I replied quietly. Playing with my hair, I looked down. Gabe made a disappointed noise.

"Umm... Okay. Well, if you want anything, just tell me... Goodnight." he smiled halfway. I nodded, telling him the same. He closed the door, darkness consuming the room again. I laid back down, closing my eyes. Sleep was evading me tonight, almost like it was punishing me.

Opening my eyes once more, I noticed that it was morning. I guess I had finally gotten exhausted enough to fall asleep. Judging by how much light was in the room, I guessed that it was late morning at the earliest. Sitting up, I checked my phone. I was right, it was just past 11 am. Getting up, I changed into a green dress and leggings. Putting my other clothes in my bag, I looked around the room. It was too... Impersonal for me. But, according to patches of lighter paint on the walls, this was someone's room and it wasn't too long ago.

I opened the door and sat in the living room. Gabe was watching television again, however this time it was the History Channel. They were talking about World War II, which fascinated me for some odd reason. The documentary had to have gone on for quite a long time, Gabe got bored and went to go out with some of his friends. He asked if I wanted to come along, but I declined. A few more hours passed and Gabe came back. "You're still watching that?" he laughed, sitting next to me.

"Oh, hey. Yeah, I guess. Its interesting..." I paused, looking at Gabe. "Umm, Gabe?" I asked.

"Yeah?" He looked at me, a little hesitant.

"So... Dougie has a concert tonight." Gabe looked even more hesitant, his jaw jutting out a little but when I mentioned Dougie's name.

"Yeah... So? You're not thinking of going to it, are you?" his voice was tighter. I back pedaled, a little surprised by his reaction.

"No, nothing like that. But, I need to talk to him." Gabe nodded, gesturing for me to elaborate. "And I kinda need you to take me, please?" Gabe locked at his watch and said nothing, turning back to the TV. I didn't want to annoy him and ask again. I looked at the TV, now on the news. It was boring, surely he couldn't be watching it. Eventually, he stood up and grabbed his jacket.

"You said you needed to talk to Doug?" Pulling the car keys out of his pocket, he shook them. I nodded slowly and got up smoothing that dress. Gabe studied me for a moment. "You know... I kinda like that colour on you. It's pretty." I blushed, thanking him. Something about him saying that made my skin crawl. We left the apartment, and got in the car. We left toward the city center. I told him the name of the venue and Gabe nodded, making a few turns here and there. It seemed like the concert had already started when we arrived. The bus was parked by the back, so Gabe parked nearby that. I got out and walked up to the door. A techie was standing there, smoking a cigarette. He saw me and started grinning. "Hey, Miss Jenna! How are you?" he seemed very surprised to see me in the back.

"Oh, I'm fine. How are you doing?" I smiled, hoping he wouldn't ask anything else. "Umm, is Doug around?" The techie laughed, looking as if I had just asked the dimbest question on Earth.

"Oh, you're always the comedian. But, yeah, the concert should be ending in a little while." He opened the door and let me in. I followed him down a hallway and he unlocked another door. "Wait here, I'll have Dougie come by here after the concert's over." Disappearing into the hallway, the man left me alone in the room. I sat down in one of the chairs, waiting for the concert to end. Just like the technician told me, I heard Dougie's voice in the hall.

"This one?" he called. "Thanks, Isaac." The doorknob turned and I felt my breath hitch. The door opened and Dougie saw me, blinking slowly. He wiped sweat off his forehead and sighed. "It's you." I looked down, embarrassed. He took a step closer, almost as if he was making sure I was real. "What are you doing here?" he asked softly.

"I believe in a formal goodbye." I murmured, getting up. Dougie obviously didn't understand. He blinked a few times, confusion in his eyes.

"What? What is that supposed to mean?" he said. I looked up at him, smiling sadly.

"I thought you deserved a formal goodbye. A well defined farewell." Dougie understood now. He looked shocked and angry at the same time.

"... What? No. Jenna, you can't!" he cried out, shaking his head. I pursed my lips, trying to stay neutral.

"Dougie. Please. It's my decision." I replied, taking a few deep breaths. Dougie was anything but calm.

"No... No, you can't go! If it was something I did, I'll fix it. I'll do anything! Just don't go." his voice was quickly rising. I felt terrible, he was like a tortured man.

"You've gotta let me go, Doug... We're over." I felt a lump in my throat, tears rolling down my cheeks. I wiped my eyes and kissed Dougie's cheek. "Goodbye, Dougie." Dougie stared at me, silenced. I left the room quickly, running out of the building. The fan girls were still lingering around, waiting for the band to get on the bus. Making my way through them, I found the car. The fan girls started screaming and I paused, looking up. Dougie was following me, pushing his way through the crowd. He grabbed my arm, a desperate look on his face.

"Please, Jenna." he pleaded. I shook my head, wiping away more tears. Gabe pulled the car up beside me. Dougie looked at the car. He saw Gabe in the driver's seat and froze. Looking back at me, his face was pale. Letting go of my arm, he stepped back. "I... I understand." It was like someone knocked all of the fire out of him. He swam through the crowd and got on the bus.

I sat in the car with Gabe. Crossing my arms, I said nothing. Gabe probably understood what was going on. He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, going in the direction of his apartment. Silently, I wiped tears from my eyes and stared out the window.

If it wasn't clear before, it definitely was now. My relationship with Dougie was over. It's what I had wanted. But, why did my heart ache like this?


	12. Cruelty

Part 12 Cruelty

I followed Gabe back to the apartment. We were silent as we went up the stairs, a stark contrast to when I had first come to his apartment. Immediately, I went to my room. Turning to close the door, Gabe was in the way. I gave him a funny look and he stepped inside. I took a step back. What was he doing in here? This was my room!... In his house. Why was my heart beating so fast? He was a nice guy... he'd never treated me badly. Looks are deceiving. A voice whispered in my mind. "What are you-?" I started, but Gabe abruptly cut me off.

"We need to talk. We have a score to settle." he sounded angry. I searched my mind for anything I had done wrong. Nothing came up. Even though Gabe wasn't much taller than me, he seemed looming and menacing. He closed the door behind him. I gulped, fear seizing me. "Sit." he barked. When I didn't move, he advanced towards me and pushed me down onto the bed. Walking around the other side, he sat across from me.

"Gabe..." I said, my voice trembling. "What's going on?" My heart was racing and I tried to calm myself.

"I just want to ask you a few questions." He smiled, though it was a cruel smile. "If I were you, I'd do my best to answer them." He stroked my cheek with the back of my hand. I flinched, scooting away.

"I'm not sure you should..." I squeaked. Gabe didn't like that answer, his face clouding with anger. He reached out and slapped me. I cried out, covering my face. My cheek was throbbing.

"Shut up," he hissed. "Listen. I never agreed with our split and now that you're here, I can do what I want." I froze with fear. What was he going to do to me? He didn't come any closer, but I still sat ready to fight him off. "First question. Why did you leave me for Douglas? What did he have that I didn't?" he sneered.

"I... I don't know! I don't remember!" I yelled. He said that he heard about my accident, yet he asks me questions that I don't know the answers to!

"Jenna, Jenna, Jenna." he smirked, stroking my hair. I ducked away from him instinctively. "Well, you seem to have gotten more fidgety than I remember. But, I can remedy that." he reached over and grabbed my wrists. I yelled, trying to pull away. But, he was easily much stronger than I was. He pulled a small length of rope out of his pocket and tied my wrists above my head. "You'll regret not telling me." I thrashed around, cursing at him.

"Untie me! Right now!" I yelled. Gabe simply laughed, standing up.

"Oh come on, Jenna. I'm just having some fun." he surveyed his handiwork.

"This is sick! Let me go!" I hissed, trying to kick him.

"Feisty, now are we?" he kissed me and I tried pulling away. I bit down on his lip and he cried out in pain, pulling back. "Stop that!" he rubbed his lip. I wouldn't let him touch me, not with what he had in mind. Every time he came closer to me, I screamed and thrashed. Even he soon got tired of it. "Oh shut up, will you?" He held me down now; even though I tried to fight him off, he was far too strong for me. Dougie was right, I should've listened to him. I should've stayed close to him. This would have never happened. It's all over for me now. I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks before I realized I was crying.

Then, a miracle happened. There was a great commotion at the door. Someone was knocking on the door, or rather tried breaking down the door. Gabe stood up. He ran a hand through his hair and opened the door. Shutting it firmly behind him, he disappeared into the living room. There was a great slam and yelling. It sounded like they were fighting, but I couldn't understand them. Pulling my legs up, I tried yanking my arms free from the rope. I groaned, but didn't care about the pain. I had to get out of here. There was no way I would stay. Finally one hand cane free. I wiped my tears away and began to work in the knot that was tying my other hand to the bed. When my other hand was free, I felt like yelling with joy. But I knew that would only alert Gabe. I heard footsteps coming down the hall. My heart thudded and I clenched my fists. I prayed that my legs would support me, so I could run out.

"Jenna? Are you in there?" said a familiar voice. Tears stung my eyes. It couldn't be, my mind must be playing tricks on me.

"Dougie?"


	13. The Click

Part 13

My heart thudded and I shivered... It was like the sun had started shining after a long storm. Dougie was right again... Dougie. I gulped, opening the door. There stood Dougie, I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him. Dougie hugged me back, not saying a word. We stood there for what seemed to be a long time. I laid my head on his chest, sobbing. He rubbed my back sympathetically, telling me that everything was alright. I heard someone else approach and I froze, looking up. It was Danny, looking very relieved. He nodded at me, and I did the same.

"Was there anyone else here?" he asked, trying to be courteous. I shook my head. It was just me here. Danny nodded, and pointed towards the main door. "I'll be in the hall, if you need me." He left us alone. I looked up at Dougie, wiping my eyes.

"Dougie." I stuttered. "I'm- I'm really sorry. I was being-" Dougie hushed me, stroking my hair.

"Don't worry. Everything is fine." he said, trying to comfort me. "You're safe and that's all that matters."

"But, you were right. I should've listened. I should've stayed. But, I didn't and I stayed here. Now everything's all wrong." Dougie gave me an peculiar look, but quickly regained his composure.

"No matter what happened, it's in the past now." Dougie smiled at me. I believed him, nodding. He hugged me tighter and I laid my head back on his chest. He smelled like fresh rain. I missed him so much. I had only been gone a few days, but it felt like it was years.

"I'm sorry, Dougie. I should've never put you through this." I said after a silence. Doug tipped my chin up and I looked at him.

"Don't worry about such little things, I already forgave you. Danny told me everything you guys had talked about." He kissed my forehead, smiling.

"Then, how did you know I was here?"

"Well, when I saw Gabe in the car, I knew something was up. But, if I said anything, I guessed you'd be pissed and storm off. So, I got back on the bus and was talking to Danny. He told me that he knew where Gabe lived and gave me directions. And then I just came here, Danny said that I'd need back up and tagged along." Doug shrugged.

"Thank you." I whispered, kissing Dougie's cheek. "I need my stuff… We're going back right?" I pulled away and went back into the room. Shivering, I quickly grabbed my bag. Dougie and I left the apartment, Danny was on the phone. He saw us, smiling and continued talking.

"Hey. Harry was calling to let you know that you left your phone on the bus." Danny caught up to us as we were walking down the stairs. Doug looked confused and felt his back pocket. Danny started grinning when Dougie realized he had left it.

"I guess I was in a hurry." he shrugged, wrapping his arm around my waist. "But, I didn't want to waste any time getting over here either, so it makes sense." he smiled at me. Danny began filling in the silences for us.

"You know, I found her first. Shouldn't I get some credit?" He grinned at the base of the stairs. Dougie rolled his eyes, smirking at me.

"The nerve of him." he laughed. I shook my head, skipping down to Danny. I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed Danny's cheek.

"Is that enough credit for you?" I laughed. Danny hugged me with one arm, laughing heartily.

"Hey now, you're _my_ fiancée!" Dougie rolled his eyes. I felt comfortable with them. Why did I ever leave? There was a police car sitting by Dougie's and Danny's cars. Instinctively, I grabbed Doug's hand. "Relax, Jen. You're safe." he whispered in my ear. The policeman spoke with Dougie and Danny, asking questions. He looked at me, nodding.

"Do you want to press charges, Miss Turner?" he asked in a gentle tone. I gulped, seeing Gabe in the back seat. He was boring holes into me with his intense gaze.

"If it'll keep him away, then yes. Most definitely yes." I stammered. Some paperwork was filed out and the man told us he'd contact us for a trial date.

"Well... I guess that's my cue to leave. See you at the hotel, guys!" Danny slipped into his car and quickly left. Dougie and I stood by his car, silent. Our fingers were entwined and I felt safe.

"We should get back, you know. Before the rest of the guys start worrying." he mused. I looked up at him and nodded. He opened my door and then went around to the other side. I sat down, not saying much. Dougie didn't press me, thankfully. We went back to the city, and got stuck in traffic.

Stopping in the back of the hotel, Dougie kissed my forehead. We got out and went into the elevator. Dougie got a few phone calls from Tom and Harry.

"Yes, she's fine... Yeah, we're heading back to my room... You want to talk to her? Harry!... Fine." Dougie rolled his eyes. He handed me his phone. "Harry wants to make sure you're alright." I put the phone gingerly to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked. The voices on the other line were loud, but vaguely familiar.

"Jenna!" two male voices yelled. "We're so happy you're fine. We were so worried! Tom almost wet himself." one laughed. "Did not! You're such a lying git!" the other grumbled. "But we're just checking up on ya. So, talk to you later." they called, hanging up... They had talked so fast, overlapping eachother, that I didn't even get a word in. I smiled, shaking my head.

"Yeah, they're always like that." Dougie grinned, taking the phone. Something was different, it was like I already knew that. I had vague memories of the two, they were muddy at best. But they were still there.

"I know." Dougie gave me a strange look. "What?... I just kinda know that they're always crazy like that. Well, except when Gio and Izzy get a hold of them, then they're all sappy and romantic."

"... Are your memories coming back and you're just not telling me?" he blinked slowly. I shook my head. There weren't any new memories, not to my knowledge. "Then how do you remember Harry and Tom?"

"I don't know... I just do. Sorry." I murmured, looking away. Dougie hugged me tightly, kissing my cheek.

"Don't be sorry, love. This is good, this is really good!" the elevator doors opened loudly, distracting us. I started giggling, and kissed Dougie's cheek. "I guess this is our stop." he pulled away, but still held my hand. I remembered the last time I was here, frowning. Dougie pulled me along down the hallway. He quickly swipped his key and opened the door. I scurried in and looked around the posh room.

"I'm going to practice my bass, if that's alright." he dropped my hand. I nodded without a word, still walking around. I opened the closet, it was practically another room. The bed was huge and pillows were scattered everywhere. Sitting on the edge, I picked up a picture on the night stand. It was of me and Dougie, on the beach.

Doug came back into the room, carrying his blue bass. He sat next to me, looking at the picture.

"That was a good trip." I murmured, my fingers grazing the glass. Dougie nodded, giving me another strange look. "I think I am remembering things again. Like, things feel familiar. But I don't remember remembering them, if that makes sense. Like I just know it, as if it was there all along." I blurted.

"That's good. I told you that they'd come back." he smirked. He strummed the bass, checking if it was tuned. It was, he started playing a song I recognised. It was like the melody, or whatever he was playing, was in my bones. I nodded along to the beat, setting the picture down. I focused on him and the song, they meshed together in my head. The words started coming to me, kind of like when somethings on the tip of your tongue and then you remember it finally.

"If you see Kate, tell her that I'm looking for her. She's so fine, that girls been on my mind. Ooooh." I murmured. Dougie nodded, his face lighting up. A flashback played in my head. It was when we were at Tom's house and Dougie told me that he wrote the song, for me. Based off how we met for the first time.

Then, there was another memory. And another. So many of them, that I couldn't even process them all. It was like a floodgate had opened inside my head. Flashes of me as a child, playing with my sister, my parents, Friday night football games, Dougie buying me ice cream in the park, moving in with him. I gasped, gulping the air as if I'd been drowning. Gripping Dougie's arm, I caught my breath. He cupped my face, worried.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he stammered, searching my face for some kind of sign. I looked him in the eye. Throwing my arms around him, I buried my face in his chest. I squeezed him tight, Dougie rubbing my back sympathetically.

"Dougie... I-I... I remember. Everything." I pulled away, smiling. His face lit up and he stood, pulling me up with him.

"You remember? Oh my god, Jenna!" He squeezed my hands. "Where was our first date?" He cleverly tried quizzing me. I grinned, remembering clearly.

"At Hugo's. And you got under cooked steak, so you puked when we were in the park." I chirped. Dougie laughed.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mention that last part. But, still! This is really good!" he was bursting with happiness. I was too, it just hasn't really sunk in yet though. I sat down on the bed again, still smiling.

"Not to rain on your parade though, Dougie... But I'm knackered." Dougie sat down next to me, his arm around my shoulder.

"I can understand. A lot has been going on today and it's pretty late... I'll get you a shirt for you to sleep in." He went into the closet, I could hear him unzipping a bag, returning with an oversized Blink 182 T-shirt of his. Smiling, I took it from him and quickly changed. I got into bed, Dougie next to me. I snuggled up against him, almost falling asleep.

"I forgot. I've got something for you." Dougie murmured. He got up, and grabbed something small from his bag.

"Really... You didn't have to, Doug." I smiled sleepily. He shook his head, grinning like a little boy. Laying down next to me, he took my left hand. "Getting all proper, now are we?" I laughed.

"You'll see." Under the covers, he put something on my finger. I made a face, pulling my hand up. My eyes grew wide when I realized what it was.

My engagement ring.

"Dougie." I whispered. "It's... My ring." Dougie tipped my chin up, looking me in the eye.

"I know. I wanted to put it back where it belonged." He pressed his forehead to mine, smiling. "I love you," he whispered. I kissed him, a smile on my lips.

"I love you too, Dougie."


	14. Day of the Accident

_This is not the end y'all! But, I'll have to rewrite some chapters, because I just read through some and they've gotten all messed up somehow [hard to explain and I'm not good with words]. It may be a bit of a wait, but I promise this is not the end! Thank you guys so much for reading this fic. Y'all mean the world to me. :D xx_

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><p><strong>Day of the accident.<strong>

"_But, Jack, I'm not a pirate!" I struggled to keep up with the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, but these voluminous skirts were holding me back. The silly pirate didn't understand fashion obviously, as he tried hurrying me along. He grinned at me and opened his mouth to reply. But, the only thing I heard was a blaring chirping noise._

Groggily, I lifted my head to see my phone flashing and chirping at me. "7:30 already?" I sighed, groping around to turn it off. I felt the small device, and tried to grab it. But, all I had succeeded to do was knock it off the bedside table. Sighing, I scooted to the edge of the bed and leaned over to pick it up. It was _still_ chirping at me. I finally put it on silent and put it back on the table.

There was no way I'd end up going back to sleep then. I got up, groaning. Looking back at the bed, Dougie was sprawled out, in a deep sleep. I smiled at him and went to the bathroom. Taking a quick shower, I washed my hair and made sure I was squeaky clean. Cutting off the water, I wrapped a towel around me and dried off. Opening the door, I let the warm air out to make the fog dissipate from the mirror. Dougie was still asleep. _He's going to be late…_ I rolled my eyes. Plugging in the hairdryer, I began drying my hair.

"Douglas! Wake up!" I yelled over the noise of the hairdryer. He groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. "Typical." I sighed, continuing to dry my hair. Dougie wasn't a morning person, and it didn't help that he stayed up so late practicing. Putting away the blow dryer, I went back into the bedroom to get dressed. Dougie was semi coherent by then, rubbing his eyes. I opened the closet doors and started getting dressed. I had picked out one of the new dresses I had bought earlier in the week, a light blue cotton sundress.

"Are you finished with the bathroom?" Dougie asked. He sat up, looking at the clock. I thought about going without make up, but decided against it since I was going to do wedding planning. I smirked, it would also annoy Doug too.

"No. I've got to do my make up." I replied, fiddling with the straps on my dress. He sighed overdramatically, falling back on the bed. I couldn't help but giggle at him.

"Oh, how long will that take you? An hour?" Doug was _obviously_ exaggerating, since we both knew I could get dressed quicker than he could.

"Yeah, because I really pile it on." I rolled my eyes at him, smiling. "5 minutes, tops."

"So I have enough time for a shower?" I checked my phone, biting my lip. If he took his sweet time like normal, then he'd probably be late. But, if he hurried up, Doug could do it… But, it was Dougie we were talking about.

"Uhhh… probably not, if you goof around like you always do." I slipped my feet into some black Toms. Dougie stuck his tongue out at me, crossing his arms. I made a funny face at him before returning to the bathroom. Opening my makeup bag, I put on a thin layer of foundation. Pulling out my liquid eyeliner, I hesitated, fearing that my hand would shake, before applying it. Finally, I put on mascara, and put away my makeup bag. Playing with my hair, I shrugged and left the bathroom. "It's yours. Now, pay up." I smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Never." He grinned at me, playing with my hair. "So, what are you doing today?"

"I'm going to the florist and doing a little shopping with Aunt Olivia. You have an interview in an hour and a half." I laughed. "You better be getting ready." I ruffled his hair, smirking.

"If I take a _quick_ shower, do you think I'll have time?" Doug bit his lip. I checked my phone again. We had wasted 5 minutes already. He'd never get in the shower, if we kept up like this.

"Why don't you go take your shower, instead of wasting time asking me?" I suggested, feeling cheeky. Doug thought for a moment. A blonde joke came to mind, but I held my tongue.

"Deal." He kissed my cheek and got up. "I'll be out before you know it!" He was grinning. _Was that intentional?_ I thought immediately.

"That's what she said." I snickered. He had to have known that was dirty. It wasn't my fault, he set it up. Biting my lip, I tried to muffle a giggle.

"Really, Jen." Doug rolled his eyes, but chuckled nonetheless. I assumed that he wasn't trying to be dirty, just wasn't thinking.

"Yes, Doug, really." He shook his head, smiling. I laughed again, Dougie finally going to take a shower. I straightened my dress and stood. My purse was still on the bedside table. Putting my phone in the front pocket, I took it with me to the kitchen. Setting it down on the counter, I went to pour myself a cup of coffee. Sipping on the sweet delight, I looked through a magazine Doug had left on the counter. It was some silly magazine about gardening. "Why on earth did he get this?" I flipped though several pages, confused.

Dougie had no green thumb in any shape or form. There were a few articles on how to grow tulips, my favourite flower. I felt my lips pull up into a smile. When we had moved in, I wanted to plant some but the ones that we did got dug up by our neighbor's dogs. Dougie had mentioned planting tulips again, but I had assumed it was just to appease me.

"Harry called," Dougie announced, entering the kitchen. "The interview's been delayed!" He sounded like he had just been told that he won a million dollars. I shook my head, laughing at him.

"Well, aren't you lucky? You'd never be there on time." Dougie had a habit of

"If I ran a few red lights…" He replied, winking at me. I giggled, rolling my eyes. He hugged me and kissed my forehead. Pulling away, he went to pour himself some coffee. Leaning against the counter, I studied him. It still felt like just yesterday that I met him. Every time he looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes, I could feel my heart stutter. Dougie turned around, smiling at me from behind his coffee cup.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, love."

"Were you staring at my butt again?" Doug replied. I choked on my coffee, laughing. I coughed a few times, then rolled my eyes. "I knew it!" Doug beamed. The door bell rang and Doug immediately went to go get it. "Olivia!" Dougie called out. I set down my coffee and went to the door. I hugged my aunt, smiling. She was amazing, helping us with all the preparations. I would've gone crazy without her help.

"Ready to go, Jenna?" she asked, smiling. I nodded and quickly grabbed my purse off the counter.

"I'll meet you guys at the florist after the interview." Dougie smiled at me, kissing me goodbye. "Love you."

"Love you too. See you at the florist." I smiled, waving. "Don't be late for the interview." I added, playing with his wet hair.

"Go." he laughed. I finally got out, jogging to the car. Aunt Olivia winked at me, unlocking the door. I got in and she looked at me for a moment.

"What?" I felt my face, thinking I had something on my face.

"Nothing. I just noticed how... 'in love' you look." she smiled happily and pulled out of the drive way.

I stared at so many colour palettes, that they were all started to melt together. Who would've thought this much about flowers? They were flowers for crying out loud! I had specifically said that I wanted daisies, white Gerber daisies. However, my aunt didn't agree.

"You know they have purple daisies? Wouldn't that be pretty?" She smiled, pointing at a picture of a daisy and tulip arrangement. I sighed, my face in my hands.

"My dress has a blue sash. Purple would look weird." I shook my head. Olivia wasn't discouraged by my answer and flipped a few pages. She showed it to me and grinned.

"How about some blue instead?" she replied, chipper.

"Aunt Olivia!" I sighed again. I loved that woman, I honestly did. But, still. The bell at the door rang, someone entering the shop. A pair of hands were at my waist and I felt a chin on the top of my head. Dougie had finally arrived!

He laughed, sitting down next to me. "You guys aren't done yet?" I laughed, shaking my head.

"Aunt Olivia wants me to have blue in the bouquet... And I want a white bouquet." I shrugged. "So we've kinda reached a stalemate."

"Blue would look nice!" my aunt added, she picked up the binder that the florist had provided. Dougie looked at it and shrugged.

"Don't try to convince me. I don't mind what colour your bouquet is." he handed back the binder. "Both look nice, it's your decision. Not mine." I smiled at him, rolling my eyes.

"It's your wedding too, you have a say in this." I reminded him. He was just trying to stay out of it, but he wouldn't be off that easy. Doug thought for a moment. He looked at the picture and pointed at the bottom of it.

"You're having a ribbon on your bouquet, right?" he asked, looking at it. I gave him a strange look. Where was he going with this?

"Uhh... Yeah. And?" I replied. All bouquets had ribbons. How else would they stay together?

"Okay, then it'll be a blue ribbon. Case closed." Dougie leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. I gaped at him, shocked by how simply he solved that. We'd been back and forth for over an hour and he waltzes in and fixes it! Neither of us had ever thought about the tape!

"Great idea, Doug." my aunt smiled, she scribbled it down. "I'll take care of that. You guys head on home." I smiled at her and hugged her goodbye. Doug squeezed my hand, grinning. He was like a little kid, so proud of himself. I smiled back at him, and we left the florist shop. We walked to his car, Dougie humming.

"It's a good thing you showed up, I never even thought about the tape!" I added. Dougie laughed and started the car; we pulled out of the parking lot and started towards home. We were only a few blocks from the house when Doug realized that he had forgotten his bass in the studio. It completely baffled me, Dougie treated his bass like a small child. I couldn't understand how he had forgotten it.

"Your blue bass?" I asked quietly. Dougie nodded. His blue one was his favourite.

"I know, it sounds weird. But, I've been acting pretty blonde lately." he sighed, turning the car around. We headed back towards the studio, which was on the other side of town.

"You are blonde though..." I mused, trying not to laugh. "Maybe you need a mental health day, you know. You've been pretty busy lately." I liked the sound of it. I could take a day off work and we could just hang out all day. That would be fun, I smiled at the thought.

"Mental health day? Isn't that the excuse you use on your boss when you want a day off?" Dougie laughed, slowing down at the stop light. "I'll think about it." he smiled.

"...I wish my mother was coming." I murmured. I knew that it would be a bad idea. But, it didn't mean that I didn't want her to come. It was pretty much customary that the mother helped with wedding planning. But, my mother seemed to be against every decision I had made since leaving the States.

"... You know that won't happen. She wouldn't come." Doug's smile faltered. He looked at me seriously.

"Dougie, come on. I bet if we sent her an invite, she'd come." I huffed. Okay, I didn't have the best relationship with my mom. But, it would be nice to have one of my parents there.

"She hates me! If we invited her, she'd try to strangle me before the wedding! Your mom would rather you marry a hobo than marry me." Dougie sighed. He turned onto another street, cursing when he saw all of the traffic. He sighed again, stopping. This was going to take forever.

"So, you guys have some differences. That's not uncommon." I tried to calm him down, hoping he'd eventually give in. It was unlikely that he would, but I might just get lucky. We inched forward a little, and stopped.

"She said that she hoped I get herpes. Herpes! And you two don't have the perfect relationship either. You two were yelling at each other the last time you spoke." Finally, we started moving again. I couldn't help but giggle a bit. Even though it sounded weird, my mother did say that when we went back home. They... Didn't see eye to eye.

"Okay. It's different with me. She's my mom... Still! Can you imagine if she finds out that we got married and didn't tell her? Do you know the ruckus she'll start?" I countered. My mother would hop on a plane from Georgia and fly straight to our doorstep. And she'd raise hell. A lot of it. Dougie shot me an odd look, I crossed my arms. I tended to slip into a Southern accent if I got upset.

"Love, I understand what you're saying. You can send her an invite, if you want to. But, all I'm saying is don't get your hopes up." I sighed.

"Fine." I looked out the window, not saying anything else. Dougie sighed. He reached out and held my hand.

"I don't want you to be unhappy, Jenna." he smiled, stopping at another red light. "I love you and want you to be happy on your big day. And I'm afraid she'll just disappoint you. But, that's just me."

"I understand... But one thing." I smiled at Dougie. He smiled back, kissing my forehead.

"What is it?" He glanced at the stop light, still red, and turned back to me.

"It's not just my big day. It's yours too." I smiled. Doug grinned at me, kissing me tenderly.

"I love you, Jenna Turner." he beamed at me. I smiled back, feeling butterflies in my stomach. Even after this long, he still got to me. It was like the first day all over again.

"I love you too, Dougie Poynter." the light turned green and cars were honking at us to move. I giggled and Dougie stuck his tongue out at me. We pulled out into the intersection, when I heard a screeching noise. There was a truck speeding towards us and it didn't look like it was going to stop. Dougie saw it and tried to get out of the way, speeding forward. But, it was too late. Dougie squeezed my hand and I heard the sound of crunching metal.


End file.
